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Knowledge4Policy
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  • Publication | 2026
Crop Prospects and Food Situation #1, March 2026
Global Food and Nutrition Security

The triannual Crop Prospects and Food Situation report provides a forward-looking global analysis of cereal production, market trends and acute food security conditions, with a particular attention on low-income food-deficit countries. FAO estimates that 41 countries require external assistance for food: 31 in Africa, eight in Asia, one in Latin America and the Caribbean, and one in Europe. Conflict and insecurity remain the primary drivers of severe acute food insecurity, with weather‑related shocks further exacerbating conditions in several regions. While it is still too early to fully assess the potential impacts, the recent escalation of tensions in the Near East subregion may increase risks to global agrifood supply chains, with possible implications for the costs of key agricultural inputs, particularly energy‑related inputs such as fuel. and nitrogen fertilizer. Should these pressures persist, they could translate into higher production and transport costs across agrifood systems. The report also includes FAO's latest forecast for 2025 cereal production among the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs), which is pegged at 150.7 million tonnes, slightly below the 2024 estimate but still about 3 percent above the previous five-year average.